On the Twentieth Day of December . . .

On this twentieth day of December, I experienced a moment of pure contentment courtesy of my youngest daughter. After a busy day of running errands and tying up the last-minute loose ends of Christmas preparation, she asked if we could go out to eat at one of her favorite local restaurants while my older daughter completed some service hours for school. I always enjoy one-on-one time with each of my daughters, so, I readily agreed to this informal dinner date.

We enjoyed our meal together, which was punctuated with chatter and laughter, and afterward, she asked if we could stop at a nearby store. Again, I honored her request and am glad that I did, as it led to the moment I alluded to earlier. For at that store, my daughter suggested that I buy a candle, appropriately described as a “stress relief” aromatherapy candle. The scent was pleasing, as…